Vanderbilt University owes its existence to the gift of $1 million by Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt in 1873. What started as a university which had a vision to "strengthen the ties which should exist between all sections of our common country" today has a student body of over 10,000 and is the largest private employer in Middle Tennessee and the second in the state.
Located approximately 30 minutes drive time from the airport and only 1 1/2 miles from downtown Nashville, Vanderbilt University has a pleasant campus spread over 300 acres. The original building - now Kirkland Hall - still stands, as does the astronomical observatory built for the first students in 1873. Although original conceived as a male-only institution, nothing prohibited women from entering - which they did from the very first years of the University.
Vanderbilt University always had two aims to not just offer to offer liberal arts and sciences at graduate level but also to include professional studies. Today Vanderbilt lays claim to being one of the US's top universities - and is consistently rated in the top 20 by the U.S. News and World Report. The private institution has 5,300 graduate and professional students and around 6,000 undergraduates. There are a total of 10 schools and the medical school has an excellent reputation. Other notable professional schools include the Owen Graduate School of Management and the Peabody College of Education and Human Development. Vanderbilt University's strong research program is supported by the Research Scholars Grant Program amongst others which trys to encourage pioneering and interdisciplinary studies.
The following tours drive by Vanderbilt University:
Get a taste of all things Nashville with the Discover Nashville Inclusive Tour, a comprehensive tour that offers admission to popular Nashville attractions including the Ryman Auditorium and Country Music Hall of Fame, as well as an up-close look at all Music City has to offer.
Hop aboard a charming trolley for an hour-long tour through the streets of downtown Nashville as you see sites including the Ryman Auditorium, Tennessee State Capitol, and Vanderbilt University.
We also offer a detail of most tour stops, drive bys and visits with our Tour Connections page.
Presenting artwork by Kate McSpadden, Vanderbilt University Fine Arts Gallery in Nashville, Tennessee displays the Margaret Stonewall Wooldridge Hamblet Award winner's recent paintings at American Reflections: Recent Works by Kate McSpadden.
The Annual Martin Luther King Commemorative Series: Harold Lowe Civil Rights at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN features a collection of powerful black and white photographs of civil rights activities in the city of Nashville,Tennessee, taken by Harold G.
